The Scottish government has announced funding of £7m to support charities and social enterprises in Scotland through two new programmes.

Grants of between £25,000 and £200,000 will be available through a new £4m Enterprise Growth Fund, the government said yesterday, alongside new business support services for organisations.

Enterprise Growth Fund

The £300,000 contract to administer the Enterprise Growth Fund was won by a consortium led by social enterprise the Wise Group with Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS), Developing Strathclyde Ltd (DSL) and Think! Research.

Applications to the fund will open at the end of August and grants will be distributed to successful organisations by January 2012.

Business Support Services

Additionally a £3m contract to provide free or heavily-subsidised business support and learning services between 2011 and 2014 was won by the Just Enterprise consortium led by CEiS.

Information and support, including how to apply for a grant, is now available through the new Just Enterprise website.

Client management advice, feasibility studies, business planning and financial management will also be available via free one-day workshops or 3/5 day courses costing £25-£35 per day.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is a funding partner and will provide 10 per cent of the funding.

John Swinney (pictured), finance secretary for the Scottish government said: “These two new programmes will work closely together to make sure that the organisations that we fund benefit from appropriate business support.”